Leah Clapper, a gymnast at Gym America in Ann Arbor, has qualified to compete against some of the world’s best gymnasts at the Secret U.S. Classic next week. The prestigious meet, which takes place Saturday, June 4, in Hartford, Conn., serves as a precursor to the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio.
Clapper, a sophomore at Saline High School, will be competing against most if not all of the gymnasts who will comprise the U.S. Olympic team later this summer, including 2012 Olympic All-Around gold medalist Gabby Douglas and reigning World Champion Simone Biles.
It’s an amazing accomplishment for Clapper, who has established herself as one of the country’s top gymnasts.
“We’re very excited for Leah to be competing on the big stage among the best gymnasts in the world,” said Claudia Kretschmer, Clapper’s coach at Gym America. “It’s a tremendous honor to compete in the Secret U.S. Classic. Leah has been training hard and can’t wait to perform on the Podium.”
To qualify for the Secret U.S. Classic, Clapper had to become a Senior Elite Gymnast – the sport’s top designation. Clapper hit the qualifying score earlier this year, becoming one of only six gymnasts nationwide to make the jump to Senior Elite status this year.
Clapper will be the only gymnast from Michigan competing in the Senior Elite division in Hartford next week.
Clapper, the daughter of Mark and Tara Clapper of Saline, has risen through the ranks quickly in the past few years to become one of the country’s top gymnasts. She was a national qualifier multiple times as both a Level 9 and 10 gymnast before qualifying as an elite. She has committed to Penn State, and will be joining the Nittany Lions after two more years at Gym America.
The Secret U.S. Classic will be broadcast on the NBC Sports Network.
